Labour Party’s Akpata loses polling unit to PDP

The candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Edo state governorship election Olumide Akpata has lost his polling unit to Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ighodalo polled 41 votes to defeat the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), who garnered 32 votes at polling unit 11, Ward 06, Oredo LGA in Benin City, the capital of Edo.

Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), scored 19 votes.

Akpata, Ighodalo and Okpebholo are the three main candidates contesting the election to succeed current governor Godwin Obaseki.

Security agents were deployed early in most polling units across Benin metropolis and other parts of Edo, a situation that boosted the participation of voters in Saturday’s governorship election.

A visit to various polling units showed an impressive turnout of voters as well.

Earlier, former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the election,

However, Akpata appealed to INEC ensure a level playground for all candidates in the race.

“We are calling on INEC to ensure that the playing field remains levelled and that no candidate is given any undue advantage,” Akapata said.

“All of our agents should be allowed into the collation centre. Nobody should be hindered or prevented from entering the collation centre, so that we can all witness the process and confirm it was carried out as prescribed by law—the Electoral Act and the Constitution.

“I’m calling on INEC. This is an off-cycle election, the only gubernatorial election taking place in the entire country, so they have no excuse. They have the luxury of deploying their resources to this state.”

Majority Leader of the Edo House of Assembly and PDP Campaign Director-General, Mr Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, commended INEC for the early commencement of the exercise.

Iduoriyekemwen voted at exactly 9:58 a.m. at Ward 5, Unit 46, in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Benin.